The great HRV thread

[The Ouzo]

Did not want to derail the other thread to much, so decided to start a separate HRV thread as there seems to be some interest.

 

I've been using HRV4Training for 7 days now, so I now have a baseline. Although the app does start making suggestions from day 4 onwards.

This is my story so far.

 

On Sunday 17th I did a strenuous ride. It took its toll on me. I did an easy ride on 19th and another on 21st and I felt the fatigue.

On the 20th I downloaded the HRV4Training app and took my first reading on the morning of 21st and subsequently have followed the same procedure every morning. That is to get out of bed, go sit on the loo and take the reading using the phone camera.

 

I did another ride on morning of the 23rd and still felt fatigued. On the morning of the 24th was my 4th reading and the app was able to then offer some guidance. It told me to take it easy.

When I did my ride that morning I had no energy or power.

 

The following 2 mornings the same advice was given after my readings, take it easy. i had already decided to take most of the week off of the bike.

 

This morning 27th after my reading it told me all is good, go ahead. It also corresponds to how I'm feeling.

 

 

What I did yesterday though was to reference back to intervals.icu fatigue score and see how it compared to how I felt and what the app was telling me.

 

 

After my ride on 17th my fatigue score went higher than I've seen in a loong time, watching its movements on its downward trend corresponded to how I felt and what my HRV was doing. Seeing it head back it "normal" territory yesterday I was looking forward to see what the HRV app would tell me this morning, and it corresponded.

 

Obviously this is just after 7 days, the longer you use it the better the trends and predictions, but I think using it in conjunction with something like intervals.icu is valuable. 

[Pure Savage]

Love the title of the thread, starting it off great!

 

Looks very similar to the fitness thing on strava.

[DR ◣◢]

I thought it was a thread about Hondas. 

I'm very interested in this topic though as I have a very slight RBBB and with a history of heart issues in the family you can never have too much data available.

 

Thanks for starting it. 

[100Tours]

Love the title of the thread, starting it off great!

 

Looks very similar to the fitness thing on strava.

 

Except Strava only works on heart rate while riding? 

 

I was thinking this has parallels with Wimpie vdM's training advice - basically tailor your training to your waking up heart rate scores. Have been meaning to give this a try.

Edited January 27, 2021 by 100Tours

[shaper]

Personally been using HRV monitoring since mid 2018.  

 

You will get more accurate info after 14 days and a better baseline.

 

@Ouzo, i was under the impression you commute daily on a bike, but don't seem to be recording those as cycling activity is only shown on your workout days?

 

HRV will indicate more acute changes that what your PMC fitness chart will show as indicated in intervals.icu

[Long Wheel Base]

I thought it was a thread about Hondas. 

 

I'm very interested in this topic though as I have a very slight RBBB and with a history of heart issues in the family you can never have too much data available.

 

Thanks for starting it. 

Well considering the OPs new employer that is very apt.

[The Ouzo]

Personally been using HRV monitoring since mid 2018.  

 

You will get more accurate info after 14 days and a better baseline.

 

@Ouzo, i was under the impression you commute daily on a bike, but don't seem to be recording those as cycling activity is only shown on your workout days?

 

HRV will indicate more acute changes that what your PMC fitness chart will show as indicated in intervals.icu

I used to commute last year, this year I changed companies and I'm 2km from home, not even worth getting the bike out for that. But what it does allow me to do is ride a few times a week before work. (is doesnt show for this week as I've made the decision to take a few days off the bike)

[DR ◣◢]

So this is a very confusing topic for me. 

 

For the past 30 days my Apple Watch has tracked me almost non stop. It tells me my average is 26ms. 

 

I'm 40 years old, about 20kg over my goal weight but fairly strong on the bike. My resting heart rate is below 60 and I have no chronic conditions. Blood glucose and cholesterol is 1000% correct. 

 

According to Whoop an athlete aged 40 should be between 35ms and 65ms.

 

What does 26ms translate to exactly? Unfit? Unhealthy? New Heart?

[The Ouzo]

So this is a very confusing topic for me. 

 

For the past 30 days my Apple Watch has tracked me almost non stop. It tells me my average is 26ms. 

 

I'm 40 years old, about 20kg over my goal weight but fairly strong on the bike. My resting heart rate is below 60 and I have no chronic conditions. Blood glucose and cholesterol is 1000% correct. 

 

According to Whoop an athlete aged 40 should be between 35ms and 65ms.

 

What does 26ms translate to exactly? Unfit? Unhealthy? New Heart?

My understanding at this point is that the lower the HRV the more stress the body is under.

[Long Wheel Base]

So this is a very confusing topic for me. 

 

For the past 30 days my Apple Watch has tracked me almost non stop. It tells me my average is 26ms. 

 

I'm 40 years old, about 20kg over my goal weight but fairly strong on the bike. My resting heart rate is below 60 and I have no chronic conditions. Blood glucose and cholesterol is 1000% correct. 

 

According to Whoop an athlete aged 40 should be between 35ms and 65ms.

 

What does 26ms translate to exactly? Unfit? Unhealthy? New Heart?

It means you're 80% a c#*t

[DR ◣◢]

My understanding at this point is that the lower the HRV the more stress the body is under.

 

My understanding as well. I don't feel fatigued really and I was able to hit a hard sufferfest session last night without hassle. 

 

Max HR was 129bpm and avg was 110bpm. 

 

It takes a massive effort for me to hit above 150bpm though. In theory I should see at least 170bpm during a hard effort

[RocknRolla]

Thanks for starting this thread Ouzo.

 

HRV as an Assessment Tool (from the website of the app I am using.) Elite HRV.

 

 

The last month has seen me consistently training for the first time since we were in hard lockdown.

I have done almost 25hours of training this month. 

 

This morning, I woke up to Yellow 4 on the Parasympathetic side.

 

 

Seeing that I have been training hard, I did not take it easy on my ride, as I understand that in an over reaching phase, one can make some advancements to one's fitness. I felt as I got going that I did not have power in my legs. Managed to hang on to our little group on TDZ stage 5 this morning, but as soon as we hit the last climb, I got dropped like cow dung.

 

I was not surprised. 

 

The rest of the week will see me taking it real slow, as an active recovery.

 

As I mentioned on another thread, the HRV is a good indicator of when external factors has an influence on your physical well being. My big one is stress, I go into yellow and red sympathetic if I have been stressed at work, or if my Depression starts getting the better of me. It is important to tag your measurements, with sleep quality and duration, stress, and amount of exercise.

 

*Disclaimer

 

I am not an expert nor a coach (I'm married to a coach, and have through osmosis gained a little knowledge.)

 

 

 

 

[Long Wheel Base]

My understanding as well. I don't feel fatigued really and I was able to hit a hard sufferfest session last night without hassle. 

 

Max HR was 129bpm and avg was 110bpm. 

 

It takes a massive effort for me to hit above 150bpm though. In theory I should see at least 170bpm during a hard effort

If you really are interested in seeing what your max HR is, you need to go do a fitness test. Last time I did mine they had me on the IDT and iicr I had to maintain a specific speed for a certain time and the speed just got higher at like 30sec intervals until I just couldn't anymore.

129bpm is pretty low, even 150bpm isn't that high for a 40y/o.

I am not sure if you use something like a garmin but GC will automatically adjust your max if you have it set that way.

[Rowl]

I'm also considering using an HRV app, I've been struggling the last two months with power when my HR goes over 160/170 (max is about 192 odd - but haven't been there in a while).  Based on the other thread I got tested for Covid, but both active and anti-body tests returned negative.  My guess is that I'm a bit fatigued (prep for TransB) although nothing worse than what I've done before.  But can't say for sure, I am on a 2 week break and will gauge once getting back on the bike, whether I should seek further medical advice.

 

Some general questions if someone might be able to answer, just comparing the two apps:

• EliteHRV free and the HRV4Training app is R140 odd, any major differences between the two?
• Noted on the EliteHRV site I can use a Garmin HRM with the app but no specific mention on the HRV4 stie?
• Any other points to consider?

 

Edit: For context I'm 32.

Edited January 27, 2021 by Roul

[DR ◣◢]

If you really are interested in seeing what your max HR is, you need to go do a fitness test. Last time I did mine they had me on the IDT and iicr I had to maintain a specific speed for a certain time and the speed just got higher at like 30sec intervals until I just couldn't anymore.

129bpm is pretty low, even 150bpm isn't that high for a 40y/o.

I am not sure if you use something like a garmin but GC will automatically adjust your max if you have it set that way.

 

I think I need to get that done indeed. 

 

I use the Wahoo Tickr together with the IDT and then Apple Watch with Strava on the trail. 

 

I feel like I'm mostly at idle when riding but my legs don't agree. 

[Escapee..]

My understanding as well. I don't feel fatigued really and I was able to hit a hard sufferfest session last night without hassle. 

 

Max HR was 129bpm and avg was 110bpm. 

 

It takes a massive effort for me to hit above 150bpm though. In theory I should see at least 170bpm during a hard effort

 

You should definitely look at that reading, you should easily get above 150bpm

 

Are you using the apple watch for HR?

 

I did a 40min IDT session last night, according to my Garmin watch my Max HR was 160bpm.

HR Strap shows 181bpm.